richter



P. F. RICHTER.

PLAYING GUIDE FOR ZITHERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.18. 1916.

Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

&9- l W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL F. RICHTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PIIONOHARP COMPANY, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

PLAYING-GUIDE FOR ZITI-IERS.

Application filed December 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern: I

. Be it known that I, PAUL FREDERICK RICHTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Playing- Guides for Zithers, of which the following is a specification.

One object of the present invention is to provide means adapted to facilitate the playing of a musical accompaniment on a harp or zither that has chord-str1ngs arranged in chord-groups such for example as shown and described in U. S. Letters Patent to Marx, 1,190,782, granted July 11, 1916. In accordance with the present in vention, such means includes a guard extending across the chord strings and having a series of openings each of which registers with and affords access to one of the groups of strings.

The guard is preferably provided with a key index consisting of the alphabetic letters by which the several musical keys are commonly known, and such letters are arranged in a series so that each will be in registration or alinement with the opening through which the strings of the corresponding tonic chord are accessible. A chord index may also be used, and I have shown one comprising a movable strip having a sight opening and bearing a series of numerals to indicate the several chords as based on the average frequency of their occurrence. The chord index and key index are arranged to cooperate with each other as follows :The numerals 2 and 3 of the chord index strip are arranged to register respectively with the guard openings for the dominant and subdominant chordstrings when the sight opening of said strip registers with that symbol in. the key index that represents the tonic key in which the accompaniment is to be played. The other numerals of the chord index, as many as there might be, would indicate the strings for other chords, in the order of their frequency of use. The chord index is usable for any other key by moving the strip to a position where its sight opening exposes the key symbol of the tonic key desired.

The key index and the chord index cooperate to guide the player to the desired group of chord strings, and the guard pre- Speoification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 191.9.

Serial No. 137,486.

vents the player from playing any string in addition to the group selected.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a zither, partly broken out, to which is attached a device embodying what I consider at present to be the preferred form of the mvention.

Fig. 2 represents a top plan View, on a larger scale, of the attachment in which the present invention is embodied, in cooperative relation to a fragment of the musical instrument including the chord-strings.

.Fig. 3 represents a sectional view through that part of the attachment that is intersected by line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: represents a sectional view through the structure intersected by line 4-4 of Fig. 2'.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur, excepting that the alphabetic denominations of keys are repeated where necessary to indicate, in some cases, the ton c value of 1nd1- vidual strings, and in other cases the tonic values of the groups of chord-strings. The sounding-board of the instrument is indicated at 10. The strings are divided into two main groups, those of one group being intended to be used for playing the .vening strings; and the accompaniment strings occupythe left-hand portion of the sounding-board and include the strings 12, 12 and all the intervening strings. The strings, are strung over bridges 13, 13 and secured to the usual hitch-pins (not shown) and to tuning pins 14,

The entire group of accompaniment strings is divided into aseries of sub-groups each of which, in the present instance, includes four strings. The four strings of each sub-group are tuned to play a major chord, and include a fundamental bass string and three strings of higher pitch tuned to play a triad. For example, referring to Fig. 4-, which shows the accompaniment strings in cross section, the first four strings in order from right to left constitute one sub-group of chord strings. They are indicated by the characters Ab, Eb, Ab and C, the string at the extreme right being the fundamental bass string of the chord, and the three others being tuned to play a triad. The next sulo-group of chord strings, indicated in order by the characters Eb, Bb, Eb and G, are adapted to play another chord, of which the fundamental bass string is Eb and of which the triad strings are Bb, Eb and G. The other sub-groups of chord strings are tuned and arranged in similar manner, and, without stating the tonal value of all the strings, it will be sulficient to state that they are tuned and arranged according to the cycle of keys substantially according to the arrangement illustrated and described in the patent to Marx, 1,190,782, excepting that the order of keys, in the present instance, is reversed relatively to that shown in the said patent. Although there are twelve tones in a chromatic scale, and twelve sub-groups of chord strings would be required to complete the cycle of chords, it is not necessary to include the complete cycle in order to carry out the fundamental principle involved, and in the present instance the entire group of chordstrings includes only ten sub-groups of chord-strings; but so far as the present showing is concerned, the sub-groups of chord-strings are tuned and arranged according to such cycle. The number of subgroups of chord-strings may be from three to twelve.

The tonic keys of the several sub-groups are, in order from right to left, Ab, Eb, Bb, E, C, G, D, A, E and B. According to this arrangement each tonic chord is flanked on the left by the dominant chord thereof and on the right by the subdominant chord, this relation of chords obtaining in every case, excepting, of course, that there is not, in the present instance, a dominant chord for the key of B nor a subdominant chord for the key of Ab. These exceptions, however, are due to the fact that the cycle of chords is not complete.

The chordstrings are intended to be played by pickin them, either with a thumb or finger or by a picking device held in the hand. A performer who is not particularly skilful is likely to pick, by mistake, one or more strings in one sub-group or the other adjacent the group selected, as for example, by beginning the picking movement too far to the right or by continuing the picking movement too far to the left. In order, therefore, to guard against accidentally picking any string outside the sub-group selected, I have provided a device that may be attached to the sounding-board of the in strument, either by the m anufaeturer, by the dealer, or by the user of such instrument.

This device, in the present instance, coniprises a plate 15 of sufficient dimensions to extend across all the chord strings. This device is provided with supporting elements 16, 16 at its ends, said supporting elements being adapted to rest upon the soundingboard 10 and having sullicient depth to support the plate 15 far enough above the strings to leave room for the latter to v1- brate without interference. The support ng elements 16 may be aflixed to the sounding board by any suitable means such as glue or such as screws 17, or both.

The plate 15 is provided with openings 18 through which the thumb, finger, or picking device may have access to the strings. These openings are divided one from another by portions 19 of the plate, which portions have the function of stops to limit the range of picking movement for the several sub-groups of chord strings. The openings 18 are arranged in two series, those of one series breaking joint with those of the other series. Each opening is in registration with and affords access to one sub-group of chord strings; and, although each opening actually exposes five strings, the thumb, finger or other instrumentality that is used to pick the strings would, because of its shape and inclination while being drawn across the strings, be arrested by the stop 19 at the left instead of picking the fifth string. For example, referring to the opening- (Fig. that is designated by the letter C, the first four strings (from right to left) exposed thereby are the strings of the tonic chord of the key of C, and although the fifth string exposed through such opening is the fundamental bass string G of the next sub-group, it would not ordinarily be picked by drawing ones thumb or finger or a picking instrumentality from right to left across the strings of the C chord. However, by tipping the picking instrumentality the fifth string (G) can be used with very desirable effect to produce an alternative bass for the C chord. In the same way the fundamental bassstring of every other chord group is usable as an alternative bass for the chord group at its right-hand side.

In order to guide the performer to the desired openings in the plate 15 the latter is provided with a key index consisting of characters placed thereon adjacent the openings respectively. This key index is shown by Figs. 1 and 2, in which the openings of the upper series are indicated by the char acters E, D, C, Bb and Ab, while the openings of the lower series are indicated by the characters B, A, G, F and Eb. In conse quence of the break joint relation of the openings of the two series, it so happens that the openings for the dominant and subdominant -ehordgroups will in every case be adjacent to each other in one series, while the opening for the tonic chord-group will be in the other series and will be substantially contiguous to said openings for the dominant and subdominant chord-groups. In some cases the opening for the strings of the tonic chord will be in the lower series, while the openings for the strings of the dominant chord and for the strings of the subdominant chord will be in the upper series.

In addition to the key index I have provided a chord index from which the less skilful performers or those of comparatively little musical training may obtain additional assistance. In-the present instance the chord index comprises a movable strip 20 on which the numerals 6, 5, 1, 2 and 3 are arranged in a series, reading from left to right. These numerals represent the relative chords, as based upon the average frequency with which the chords are used. The numeral 1 may be, and in the present instance is, omitted, and in its place a sight opening 21 is formed in the strip. The strip is arranged to slide lengthwise upon the plate 15, in guides 22 provided for that purpose, the direction of movement being crosswise with relation to the length of the strings. Key symbols, similar to those used to designate the openings 18, are arranged in a straight series along the path traversed by the movable strip, and are arranged in vertical registration with the openings to which they relate. Thus the symbol O that is exposed to view through the opening 21 of the movable strip is in vertical registration with the opening 18 through which the tonic chord of the key of C may be played. The symbols Bb and Eb also appear in vertical registration with the openings through which the tonic chords of the keys of El; and Eb respectively may be played. Other symbols, such as E, A, D, G and F are also included in the series traversed by the strip 20; but they do not appear, for the reason that they are concealed by the strip. Vith the strip in the position shown by Figs. 1 and 2, the symbol E of the chord index would be under the numeral 6, symbol A would be under the numeral 5, symbol D would be under the numeral a, symbol Gr would be under the numeral 2, and symbol F would be under the numeral 3. The right-hand end of strip 20 is indicated at 28, and the exposure of the symbols Bb and Eb of the chord index is merely incidental to the fact that the strip is not extended to the right so far as to project beyond the plate 15 when in position to expose the symbol E through the sight opening 21.

The chord index is intended to be used as follows. Assuming that the accompaniment is to be played in the key of C, the strip 20 will be moved to place the sight opening 21 in registration with the symbol C of the chord index. Thus the symbol that represents the tonic key has the value of l, or, in other words, the most important chord of that key. The numeral 2 on the strip occupies a position in vertical registration with the opening that exposes the strings for the dominant chord of the key of C while the numeral 3 occupies a position in vertical registration with the opening that exposes the strings for the chord that is subdominant to t1 e key of (1. Thus the order of importance of the chords is represented by the numerals on the strip, the tonic chord being the chord of highest importance, the dominant chord being next in order, the

subdominant next, and so on, according to the ascending scale of numerals. If, therefore, the performer finds it more convenient to select the chord openings by reference to the strip 20, then by the key symbols alone he may be guided to the desired opening 18 by selecting the one that is in vertical registration with the sight opening or numerals of the strip.

I claim:

1. The combination with a zither or like instrument having a plurality of chord strings, arranged in separate groups, each group comprising a fundamental bass string and a plurality of closely adjacent strings tuned in harmony therewith, of a guard extending across said strings and having a series of openings, each of which registers with and affords access to one of said groups of strings. I

2. The combination with a zither or like instrument having a series of groups of chord-strings, of a guard extending across said strings, said guard having a plurality of openings arranged in a plurality of series and each arranged to register with and aiford access to one of said groups of strings.

3. The'combination with a zither or like instrument having a series of groups of chord-strings, of a guard extending across said strings,said guard having a plurality of openings each arranged to register with and afford access to one of said groups of strings, said openings being arranged in break-joint relation in two series.

4:. The combination with a zither or like instrument having a series of groups of chord-strings, each of which groups includes a fundamental bass-string and a plurality of other strings forming a tonic chord, the several said bass-strings being separated from each other by said other strings; of a guard extending across said chord-strings, said guard having a plurality of openings each registering with and affording access to two adjacent bass-strings and the intervening strings.

5. The combination with azither or like instrument having a plurality of groups of chord-strings tuned and arranged in a series of major tonic chords in which each group is flanked by groups producing the dominant and subdominant chords of the same key; of a guard extending across said strings and having a plurality of openings arranged in break-joint relation in t v0 parallel series, said openings registering with and affording access to said groups respectively.

6. A guard for a zither or like instrument, comprising a plate adapted to extend across a plurality of groups of chord-strings, means in fixed relation to said plate and arranged to rest upon the sounding board of such instrument to support said plate above the strings thereof, said plate having a plurality of openings adapted to register with such groups respectively, each of said openings being adapted to afiord access to a group of strings.

7. A guard for a Zither or like instrument, comprising a plate adapted to extend across a plurality of groups of chord-strings, means in fixed relation to said plate and ar ranged to rest upon the sounding board of such instrument to support said plate above the strings thereof, said plate having a plurality of openings arranged in two series in break-joint relation, each of said openings being adapted to afford access to a chordproducing plurality of such strings.

8. A guard for a zither or like instrument, comprising a plate adapted to extend across a plurality of groups of chord-strings, said plate having a plurality of openings each adapted to afford access to a chord-producing plurality of such strings, a strip arranged to slide on said plate, and means arranged to guide said strip, said strip bearing chord-indicating symbols spaced from each other according to the spacing of said openings, whereby said symbols are adapted to register, respectively, with said openings, said strip being movable to shift said symbols from one relation of registration, relatively to said openings, to another.

9. A guard for a zither or like instrument, comprising a plate adapted to extend across a plurality of groups of chord-strings, said plate having a plurality of openings each adapted to afford access to a chord-producing plurality of such strings, said plate having a series of key-indicating symbols arranged respectively in registration with said openings, a strip arranged to slide on said plate in line with said series of symbols, and means arranged to guide said strip along said line, said strip having a sight opening arranged to expose said symbols, one at a time, said strip bearing a series of chord-indicating symbols spaced from said sight opening and from each other according to the spacing of said openings in said plate, whereby each of said chord-indicating symbols is adapted to have diiferent indicating positions in registration with a plurality of said openings.

10. The combination with a zither or like instrument having a plurality of groups of chord-strings tuned and arranged in a series of major tonic chords; of a guard extending across said strings and having a plurality of openings arranged in two series in breakjoint relation, said openings being in registration with and affording access to said groups respectively, a strip arranged to slide on said plate, and means arranged to guide said strip in a path parallel to said series of openings, said strip bearing chord-indicating symbols spaced according to the spacing of said openings, whereby said symbols are adapted to register respectively with said openings, said strip being movable to shift said symbols from one relation of registration, relatively to said openings, to another.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

PAUL F. RICHTER.

(topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

